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amp meter pump

Lately I have been running into a lot of older pumps that have trouble holding a prime with no air leaks or obstruction. I will prime them with forced flow from a hose and rag in the skimmer, they will seem to run ok, and then slowly lose prime over night. I dont have an amp meter and Im not sure what to look for if I get one. If i buy one am I just checking to see if the amp draw is higher than the runing amps listed on the motor plate? How much higher is ok? What does this higher amperage tell me? And finally, what is the cheapest amp meter that will function correctly? Thanks.

Re: amp meter pump

Usually a failing motor is spotted by other factors than current measurements so I am not sure how that relates to the priming issues. A poor priming pump is usually caused by one of several things; a clogged/damaged impeller, a suction side air leak or a pressure side blockage which could be due to a dirty filter. Check one of those to see if you can't find the problem.

Re: amp meter pump

If they're having a problem holding prime it's most likely that the wet end is worn pretty badly. The good news is that they can be rebuilt.

As mas985 said motor current is probably not going to tell you much. I'd take it anyway if I had an amp meter. Unloaded amps should be about 1/3rd of full load amps but it can run as much as 1/2. Listening to the bearings and seeing how it starts and stops will give you a good indication of the health of the motor.